" What do you think about this one?” Mila asked, fighting against her will to use a short dress for the Halloween party. A traditional party hosted by Eric every year since we were twelve.

“ Mila the short black one looks perfect on you" I said, nonlanctly as I tried to finish the last details on my essay.

It has been a week since Maxwell left my room.  He called me the next day and we spent the night talking about school and tv shows. It was a Saturday night and even if I thought it was odd he was at home watching TV instead of trying to sneak out to a party I let it pass.

We texted the other day. We scheduled a day to work on our English literature project. I had to focus on my physiotherapy and on catching up in school.  I haven't texted since that day.

“ Jess, am I boring you? It's the twentieth time you zone out today" she stood in front of me with a frown as her hands rested on her hips. She did look great with that dress. 

“ No. You're not. I'm enjoying your existential crisis. You came all the way over your house to find a dress in my closet when you are already wearing one that makes you look stunning”  I answered with a small smirk almost a smile.

“ I need to look more than stunning, Jess" she said defeated as she let her body fall on my bed.

“ What's wrong?” my voice held back the real concern I had. Mila has never been this worried or riddled about something in her life. She takes things easily and with a positive attitude.

“ I don't know.  Things have been different with Sam for the last few weeks. He's distant and avoiding me. Tonight it's my chance to know what is going on and try my best to make things work...I mean...what if he's cheating on me or worst he's tired of me?” her voice was in agony while she sat back on my bed and turned to look at me. I felt my heart break because I knew the answer to her doubts.

I knew how things would end for her.  Sam was a great guy, but didn't have the same goals as her. He treated her right, but eventually one of them was going to find out that they had nothing in common.  I was disappointed it wasn't Mila who realize it first.

“ You didn't tell me that things weren't working between you two”  I said while crawling my body along the lines on the bed, until I reached a spot next to her.

“ You had too much going on. The surgery, your recovery and Max...I just thought I could handle it by myself until things were better on your side" she replied sadly, avoiding my eyes.

“ It doesn't matter Mila. You can always count on me. Next time please tell me" I held her hand for a minute  and then let go.

“ I will tell you everything from now on" Mila promised while watching her reflection on the mirror.  “You're right,  Jess. This one looks good on me" she smiled widely before turning back to me.

“  I knew you were going to agree with me" I had a hard time finding reasons to stay home. I was feeling completely bored.

“ Wish me luck with Sam tonight”  she asked with a small smile after finishing up her makeup. Her eyes were smoky with a light lipstick to match the dress.

“ You don't need luck. You need to talk about what is going on. If you need me just call me" I tried to encourage her without giving her false hopes. I had a feeling that by the end of the day she was going to call me.

She hugged me and while taking her purse she walked out of my bedroom. I spent the next two hours trying to Netflix and chill, but I already watched every single show I liked during the last weeks.

I walked downstairs to cook dinner for me. Dad was in his room after a long day and I didn't want to wake him up. It was around ten at night when I heard my phone buzzing in my pocket. I saw the screen and unconsciously my eyes lighted up when I saw his name.

I pressed the call button and smiled widely.  “Hey"

“ Jess, why aren't you in your room?” his voice sounded brittle and I didn't know if he was or not in a good mood.

“ I'm in the kitchen. Are you on the balcony?” I asked as I finished the preparation of my simple sandwich.

“  Yes. I have a surprise for you so hurry up” he sounded more excited now and that made me walk faster to my room. I was being careful to not hit my foot with the staircase.

“  I can't hurry up Max! Do you remember I had a surgery three weeks ago?” I asked mockingly, as my feet reached the top bottom of the stairs.

“ How can I forget that? I almost had a heart attack when Eric told me what happened. That's not something you just forget, Jess" he was serious enough to make me feel better about this sudden decision to try and make him fall for me.

“ I was messing with you, Max" I said with a smile.

I opened my door and I saw him leaning against the door in a carefree manner. His eye lost the purple color around them and his lip looked healed. Only the stitches on his eyebrow were still there. He looked even better than last Friday. 

I rushed to let him in as I felt his eyes never leaving my body.

“ You need to wear something more decent" his eyes traveled up and down my body as I saw him swallow hard.

“  This is what I wear to sleep so if you are going to knock on my door at random times you need to get use to this" I said confidently while pointing at my big tee shirt that barely covered my butt and short pajamas pants. 

“ I will have to learn to call before I come over" he was in a good mood and I wondered why. “ but seriously,  put some clothes on we're going out. You need your jacket"

“ I'm not going anywhere.  My dad grounded me and so did yours" I told him feeling obligated to remind him.

“ Como on, Jess! I promise I'm not going to take you to gamble, drink or whatever could put your dad in a bad mood. You will like where we are going just say yes and get ready”  he said in a soft pleading tone that almost melted my heart like butter in summer.

“ What if he comes in and doesn't see me in here. I can't believe this... I'm actually so bored that I'm considering sneaking out " I whispered, unbelievably thinking about the idea of going out of here. I got closer to my bed where he sat comfortably. 

“ It won't be too long. You dad sleeps like a brick. I know from that time I came over the first time in the middle of the night and I knocked on his door instead of yours. He didn't wake up. Think about it, you are bored in here and I'm giving you a free ticket to get out of here now. The question is: are you going to take it?” he got closer to me with each word he said as a playful smirk spread on his lips. His eyes shone when he saw my eyes doubt my own resolution of not going with him and that he was getting what he wanted.

“ Alright! But I have to be home by midnight" I told him while I stood up from bed and walked towards my closet.

A wide smile colored his face and as I looked for some jeans and a simple t shirt I felt mesmerized by his beauty.

“ but it's almost midnight like in a hour and a half. I can't promise you will be back on time" he stood up following me until he reached me. I turned around and faced him.

He was too close for my own mental sake. He looked down at me while his hand grabbed a strand of my hair and played with it. He was looking for something in my eyes while he stood there and it felt as if was doing it on purpose. As if he wanted to see my reaction.

I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction tonight. He didn't like me as more than a friend so the intimacy he was trying to find between us confused me. It didn't mean that I wasn't going to play his own game.

I leaned in a bit more until his cologne hit my senses never leaving his eyes. I saw it there when he shifted his gaze to the other side. I saw the uncomfortable feeling of my body so close to him. I had to resist a smirk at seeing him so nervous. “ Can you turn around?” I asked softly and innocently.

“ Yeah...sure" he took a step back and then turned around to let me get dressed. I saw him out his hands inside his pockets while he walked around my room looking for something interesting to see.

“  I'm done" I said to him, making him turn around with a smile. I grabbed my small wallet and my phone.

“ Awesome! Are you going down with me or we're taking the stairs?”

“ I'll go alone by the front door. Wait for me in your car" I didn't look back to see how he was going down and instead put all my concentration on sneaking out successfully. 

My heart was almost going out of my ribcage as I approached my dad’s room walking slowly.  I heard a groan from inside the room that made me stop in my tracks and panic came over me. I didn't know where to go or what to do. I freeze waiting for the finale of my life. If dad opened the door and saw me here obviously trying to get out of the house it will be my death.

My breathing caught up between my lips as if the fact that I wasn't breathing will make me invisible.  I felt a hand pulling me forward, sending panic throughout my body. Out of the sudden I was pulled on Max’s back on a piggy back ride down. He let me down carefully when we reached his car.

“ What the hell was that? I thought we agreed you were going down through the balcony" I whispered exasperatedly as he opened the door for me.

“ I knew were going to back off at the first sign of your dad" he said with a know-it-all expression.

“ He could have seen us!” I yelled as soon as he was inside the car.

“ Well what can I say? I like to live to the limit and I wasn't going to let you stay home one more minute”  he drove us out of my driveway and took the silent streets of West Roxbury.

“ You're going to be the death of me, Max! I can't still believe I just sneak out" my heart was still feeling guilty about lying to my dad.

“ If I made you live to the limit then it would be worth it" he said in a low soft tone while his eyes were looking for mine. “I want to show you something that reminds me of us. Our friendship. You're acting like this is the first time you get out of your house in the middle of the night" his smoky voice sent me back to the first time.

“ It has been a long time and in my defense I really needed to watch that movie. The Evil Dead gas always been one of my favorites”  I tried to make sense to our sudden night trip, but only thing made me curious enough to get out of my house. Maxwell. 

I wanted to keep the warm smile he gave me when he told me we were going out. I wanted to know what made him happy.

Oh God! I was a lovestruck

“ I'm glad you remember because it had to do with that one time. We're here" he smiled again as he pointed out to the old, dark building on the main street. The lights were off but there were still on black magnet letter the title of the last movie they played.

I looked at him confused the building was closed since a year ago. The owner died and his wife couldn't keep the amount of work it takes a small town movie theater by herself.

“What are we doing here?” I asked nervous. I wasn't going to get in and break the law. This was private property.

“ We came to watch a movie" he simply said taking his seatbelt off and getting out of the car.

I couldn't believe I sneak out of my house and will trespass private property all on the same night.

He will definitely be the death of me.